1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a voice messaging system. More particularly, it relates to a voice messaging system such as a telephone answering device which is capable of allowing a caller and/or a user to record a voice or text message summary for a recorded voice message.
2. Background of Related Art
Voice messaging systems (e.g., telephone answering devices (TADs)) are useful devices for both the home and office. Larger voice messaging systems in general work in conjunction with a private branch exchange (PBX) unit to provide voice mailboxes for a large number of users. Smaller voice messaging systems, e.g., telephone answering devices typically operate on a single telephone line and answer an incoming call to an unused (i.e., on-hook) telephone after a predetermined number of rings.
Voice messaging systems and telephone answering devices cause a telephone line to enter an off-hook condition, then play an outgoing message to the caller. After the outgoing message is completed, the caller is allowed to record a voice message on the voice messaging system, e.g., telephone answering device. At a later time, the voice message is replayed by the user, either local to the telephone answering device or via remote connection from another telephone through the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
FIG. 9 illustrates a conventional telephone answering device capable of recording a voice message together with a telephone number and/or household or business name with respect to an incoming call.
In FIG. 9, a telephone answering device 11 is connected to a telephone company central office 13 via a telephone line 15. A telephone line interface (TLI) 17 in the telephone answering device 11 provides the conventional isolation, DC and AC impedance as required by telephone company standards. The telephone line interface 17 also provides a ring detect signal to a controller 19. The controller 19 can be any suitable processor, e.g., microprocessor, microcontroller, or digital signal processor (DSP). The ring detect signal indicates to the controller 19 the ringing of an incoming call on the telephone line 15.
After a predetermined number of ring signals, the telephone answering device 11 causes the telephone line interface 17 to place the telephone line 15 in an off-hook state. A voice recorder/playback audio module 21 plays an outgoing greeting message over the telephone line 15 to the caller. Upon completion of the outgoing greeting message, the caller is typically allowed to record a voice message for storage in voice message memory 23 under the control of the controller 19. A keypad 25 allows the user to select various modes of operation, including the playback of recorded voice messages.
The conventional telephone answering device 11 illustrated in FIG. 9 includes a call related information detector/receiver 27 to detect and receive call related information regarding an incoming caller, e.g., their telephone number and/or household or business name. The received call related information is displayed by the controller 19 on display 29, and may be associated with corresponding recorded voice messages.
Call related information services such as Calling Identity Delivery (Caller ID) allow a user to receive information identifying the incoming caller before the incoming call is answered. Typical Caller ID information includes the telephone number and/or household or business name of the calling party.
In operation, basic call information such as Caller ID information is transmitted from the local telephone company to the called party while the called party""s telephone is in a hung-up or on-hook state, e.g., between the first and second rings. Advanced call related information services also allow a user to receive information regarding an incoming caller while the telephone is in use. For instance, with Caller ID Call Waiting (CIDCW) service the called party can receive Caller ID information (e.g., a telephone number and/or household or business name) while in an established telephone call with another party on the same telephone line.
Using Caller ID information, recorded voice messages can be associated with the name and/or telephone number of the caller who recorded the particular voice message.
To determine the content of a recorded voice message, even if previously played back, a user must actually listen to the recorded voice message from the calling party. The content of a message may be recalled by a user based on recorded call related information associated with a particular voice message, but if the caller who recorded the voice message calls the particular called party fairly often, call related information may not be sufficient to inform the user as to the content of the recorded voice message.
There is thus a need for an improved voice messaging system which provides a user with summary information sufficient to inform the user as to the content of the particular voice messages.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a voice messaging system comprises a telephone line interface and a controller, a voice message memory, a message summary module, and message summary memory. The message summary module directs storage of a summary message regarding a voice message stored in the voice message memory into the message summary memory.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for providing a message summary to a voice message comprises means for retrieving a recorded message summary including content corresponding to a recorded voice message, and means for subsequently and separately retrieving the recorded voice message.
A method for recording a summary relating to content of an associated voice message recorded on a voice messaging system in accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention comprises recording a voice message. A message summary corresponding to content of the voice message is also recorded. The message summary is associated with the voice message.